Configuring Amarok

To access the Configuration Menu, go to Settings -> Configure Amarok... and see the following dialog:

General configuration options

General

In the screenshot above, see some General Options you can set. Depending on the distribution, the default settings can vary. When hovering over the options with the mouse pointer, a tooltip will show to explain the individual settings.

General options:

Option

Tooltip

Show tray icon

Check to enable the Amarok system tray icon.

Automatically retrieve cover art

Check to enable the automatic retrieval of cover art from the internet.

Enable context applets collapse animations

Check to enable animations when context applets collapse.

Automatically scroll playlist to current track

Check to make the playlist scroll so the current track is always visible.

When you enable the Moodbar, be aware of the following requirements: the Moodbar will only display if your tracks have been tagged with moods. For more about the Moodbar, refer to: Moodbar.

Local Collection

Local Collection configuration

This dialog shows your file system in a tree structure, called Collection Folders. Selecting a folder always includes its subfolders. These folders will be scanned for media to make up your collection. You can right-click on a folder to individually rescan it, if it was previously selected.

Import Statistics

It does not import statistics from an Amarok 2.x database, so if you want to merge an older 2.x database version, you will need to do this by hand.

Metadata

This dialog will allow you to configure the settings for metadata handling. This is a separate page starting with Amarok 2.7

Metadata options:

Option

Tooltip

Write statistics to file

Check to write play-changing statistics as tags back to the audio files.

Write covers to file, maximum size...

Check to write changed covers back to the audio files. This will replace existing embedded covers. Select a value from the drop-down list to set the maximum size of the cover.

Enable character set detection in ID3 tags

If checked, Amarok will use Mozilla's Character Set Detector to attempt to automatically guess the character sets used in ID3 tags. If your tags are correct, it is more safe to leave this option turned off.

Playback

Configure the playback options, as well as the KDE multimedia framework Phonon.

Option

Tooltip

Fadeout on stop

If checked, Amarok will slowly fade the volume of the playing track on stop or at the end of the playlist, or stop playback immediately.

Fadeout on pause

If checked, Amarok will slowly fade the volume of the playing track on pausing the current track.

Fadeout duration

The length of the fadeout, in milliseconds.

Inhibit automatic suspend if playing

If checked, Amarok will prevent the computer from being suspended will a track is playing.

Pause playback on suspend

If checked, Amarok will pause playing of the current track when the computer is about to suspend.

Resume playback on start

If checked, Amarok will resume playback where you left it the last session -- just like a tape-player.

Configuring Phonon

Phonon is the multimedia framework used by Amarok. It was created to allow KDE 4 to be independent of any single multimedia framework such as GStreamer or VLC and to provide a stable API for KDE 4's lifetime. As an added bonus, it simplifies development by providing a simple API that works across different platforms such as Windows and OS X.

The result of all this for you, the user, is that you can choose the multimedia framework that works best for you. This is usually pre-configured by your distribution.

Playback problems in Amarok are typically not Amarok issues, but rather Phonon issues, as Amarok doesn't handle sound directly anymore.

Device Preference tab

Depending on your OS and distribution, you may need to use ALSA, OSS, PulseAudio, or something else as your default playback device. Find one that works for you with the Test button and apply to all types of output. If you would like different types of output to go with different devices, this is possible as well.

Speaker Setup tab

Should you wish to change the standard speaker setup, here is the place to do it.

Backend tab

Depending on your operating system you may see options such as Gstreamer, VLC, or DS9 (Windows) here. The recommended phonon-backend for Linux users is VLC or Gstreamer.

If you don't see VLC or Gstreamer, install the package for it. For most distributions the package for VLC, for example, would be phonon-backend-vlc.

Each backend comes with its own codecs, so depending on the backend you choose you will need to also download the codecs, as most distributions don't ship them for legal reasons.

Notifications

Notifications configuration dialog

,

Option

Tooltip

Use On-Screen Display

Check to enable the On-Screen Display. The OSD briefly displays track data when a new track is played. Once checked, the OSD will be visible on your screen and you can drag it to the location you prefer.

Duration

The time in milliseconds for which to show the OSD. The value must be between 500 ms and 10000 ms.

Screen

Allows you to choose the screen that should display the OSD if you have a multiscreen setup. Default is 0.

Translucent

Check to enable translucency if supported by your desktop system.

Font scale

(choose the size of the font in the OSD)

Don't show when a fullscreen application is active

Do not show On-Screen Display if another application is focused and running in fullscreen mode.

Use custom colors

Check to enable custom colors for the On-Screen Display text.

Text color

Click to select the color of the OSD text.

Use system notifications

Check to use the system notification. This can vary depending on your desktop system and/or distribution.

Database

External Database configuration dialog

The default database is already set to use embedded MySQL. For most users there is no need to configure an external database, as there is no change in performance. If you want to share your database or use it remotely, you can configure an external MySQL database.

Amarok expects the external database and user account to already exist. The user also requires full access to the database. You MUST restart Amarok after changing these settings.

If your database is not already set up, you can use the SQL commands in the field at the bottom to do so, after replacing the password with the correct one.

Option

Tooltip

Use external MySQL Database

Check to enable the use of an external database.

Server

Enter the name of the existing MySQL server.

Port

Enter the port number to access the server. Default is port 3306.

Username

Enter the username to access the database with full access privileges.

Local Collection Backends

Amarok offers you access to the following Local Collection Backends, if they are available:

Devices

Description

Local Files & USB Mass Storage Backend

Local Collection folders on local and pluggable disks

NFS Share Backend

Local Collection folders on remote NFS shares (Network File System)

SMB (Windows) Share Backend

Local Collection folders on remote Samba (Windows) shares

Ampache configuration

If you have access to a remote Ampache music server, click and enter the necessary information. You can configure access to more than one Ampache server. For more information see the Ampache section in what follows.

Last.fm configuration

While streaming is free with Last.fm's own online player for residents of the US, the UK and Germany, it only works in Amarok for paid subscribers. Scrobbling is free, however, provided you enter your Last.fm username and password by clicking . Amarok allows you to store the password in the secure KDE Wallet. If you decline the use of Kwallet, your password will be stored in clear text instead.

Magnatune Store configuration

Listen to the music offered by Magnatune for free and buy it directly through Amarok. Click to add your membership credentials if you are a member and/or add your email address to re-download music you previously have downloaded from Magnatune.

To download, you then go to the Media Sources pane, select the Internet section and click on the Magnatune Store. It will then download the catalog where you can search and select the music you want to buy.

MP3 Store configuration

Access the Amazon MP3 Store directly from Amarok.

The Amazon MP3 Store needs to know what country you are located in because it offers different items depending on your location. The following countries are allowed:

France

Austria, Germany, Switzerland

Japan

United Kingdom

United States (default)

NOTE: Changing the country invalidates your shopping cart. If your country is not in the list, you cannot use the Amazon MP3 Store because it is not supported by Amazon.

mp3tunes configuration

If you have a personal mp3tunes locker, click and enter your username and password. You will then be able to access your online locker.

Scripts

Scripts configuration dialog (click to enlarge)

Script Configuration in Amarok covers Generic, Lyrics, and Scriptable Service scripts. Scripts are added in the Manage Scripts dialog.

Generic scripts

Generic scripts add functionality to Amarok. The Amarok Script Console is available by default; other scripts which add CD burning, cover image storage, games, and many other choices are available. If installed, these scripts will show up in the Tools menu.

Lyrics scripts

A variety of lyrics scripts are available; Ultimate Lyrics is provided by default. Your chosen lyrics scripts will provide the lyrics shown in the Lyrics applet in the Context pane.

Scriptable Services scripts

Scriptable services, if enabled, will show up in the Internet Services in the Collections pane. Many collections of streams are available, in many languages, and from many sources.

Manage Scripts

At bottom of the configuration dialog are two options:

Automatically update built-in scripts

Automatically download and install updates for the built-in scripts from the Amarok website if available. Enable if you usually have a working Internet connections, and want your scripts automatically updated. This will not update user-supplied scripts from KDE-apps.org.

Manage Scripts button

Browse, install and uninstall user-supplied scripts; also search, sort and rate the scripts in the Amarok Add-on Installer.

Add-on Installer

Amarok Script Manager

Using the Add-on Installer, one can install the latest user-contributed Amarok scripts. There are also options to search, sort and rate the scripts.

The Install Scripts and Uninstall buttons can be used to manage scripts. One can install script packages of type amarokscript.tar, amarokscript.tar.bz2, amarokscript.tar.gz

Script Information

Learn more about a script using the button.

A script can also be executed directly in the Amarok Script Console. This is activated by selecting the Script Console and confirm the selection by hitting either the OK or the Apply button. To deactivate the Script Console deselect it and confirm again.